Argomenti trattati
This morning, as I walked through the scenic city of Geneva on my way to the office, I felt a deep sense of nostalgia. My journey here is intimately connected to the remarkable Amos Bairoch. To understand this connection, we must go back to 1993, a pivotal moment in my life. After completing a demanding academic path with a degree in biology, I was actively seeking job opportunities. A casual conversation over a glass of wine with my mother led to an unexpected opportunity when she mentioned my situation to a distant aunt. In a fortunate twist, this aunt suggested that her nephew might have a lead for me.
That nephew was Nicolas Mermod, who was already establishing himself in the field of biology. He contacted me, noting that a friend needed help with a database. At that time, my understanding of databases was limited, and I was uncertain if this would align with my interests. However, with no other options available, I decided to reach out to Amos.
First encounter with Amos Bairoch
The following day, I found myself navigating a winding path to a charming house in Nyon, a picturesque town by the shores of Lac Léman. When I rang the doorbell, I had no idea that this meeting would dramatically alter the course of my career.
Amos greeted me with a blend of surprise and amusement, an expression I would come to recognize over the years. He welcomed me into his home, leading me through the dining room, where he lovingly introduced me to his newborn, nestled in a baby carrier on the table. As we ascended to the attic, where his work awaited, I quickly realized this was not going to be a conventional job interview. Instead of probing my technical background in computers or molecular biology, he seemed to assume I already had foundational knowledge in both areas.
Diving into the world of databases
Seated beside him, I watched in awe as he navigated screens filled with protein sequences, discussing concepts such as domains, mutations, and their links to diseases. The pace was overwhelming, and I struggled to keep up. Amos introduced me to the Swiss-Prot database, a project he had initiated in 1986 that was expanding rapidly. He turned to me and asked, “Are you interested?” Despite my confusion, I nodded, hoping to meet his expectations.
Our conversation shifted toward the internet and the emerging world of the World Wide Web, concepts that were still somewhat unfamiliar to me at the time. Amos encouraged me to ask him anything. He suggested we search for a specific book in an American library, and while I struggled to grasp the full implications of our task, the experience felt nothing short of extraordinary.
Growing the Swiss-Prot database
As the years passed, the Swiss-Prot database evolved into a cornerstone of global scientific research. This growth laid the foundation for the establishment of the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), with Swiss-Prot—renamed UniProt—at its core. In 2000, recognizing my passion for popular science and writing, Amos proposed that I create articles about proteins.
“Yes!” I responded without hesitation, although neither of us had a clear vision of how these articles would take shape. Our discussions often meandered over lunch, touching on various topics while the specifics of the articles remained vague. Amos envisioned a monthly piece that would detail a specific protein or its family while exploring its structure, function, and health implications.
Crafting engaging articles
With Amos’s guidance, I embarked on the challenging journey of distilling complex scientific literature into accessible articles. It was akin to driving through dense fog; I had to navigate carefully to uncover the essence of each protein. I scoured numerous academic papers and examined the historical context of each topic to enrich my writing.
Amos would review my drafts with remarkable speed, often identifying errors or suggesting modifications almost instantly. Despite the occasional frustration, his insights were consistently accurate. Over the years, I authored nearly 300 articles, with Amos never rejecting any; instead, he encouraged creativity and playfulness, as demonstrated by our whimsical creation of the fictitious protein called chameleonin. This light-hearted endeavor showcased our imaginative spirits and sparked genuine curiosity among researchers.
That nephew was Nicolas Mermod, who was already establishing himself in the field of biology. He contacted me, noting that a friend needed help with a database. At that time, my understanding of databases was limited, and I was uncertain if this would align with my interests. However, with no other options available, I decided to reach out to Amos.0